Beginning Balance Implementation Guide

Together, we will use several tools and resources to manage your implementation. Some of the resources linked below provide general information you will need to review once, while other linked resources are tools you will use throughout your implementation. It is important to read, watch, and understand all the information contained in these resources at the outset of your implementation.

Once you identify who will be your project manager for your internal team, review the Implementation Coordinator Responsibilities Video (2 minutes)

• • Learning objective: Understand what you, as the coordinator, are responsible for communicating between your internal team and the Foundant team.

As you team prepares for implementation, reserving adequate amounts of time for team members to complete required tasks, calls, and learning opportunities is critical. Below is a sample weekly calendar for each phase of your implementation. While your schedule may vary, this calendar is intended to provide a clear picture of time commitments for your team throughout your implementation.

Your actual schedule will be set in coordination with the Foundant team. 

Purpose

An important part of any implementation is Data Migration. During your CommunitySuite implementation, you will be asked to complete data templates to migrate your funds, accounts, fund balances, and profiles into CommunitySuite. The time needed to complete these templates will vary depending on the number of records you plan to bring into CommunitySuite. Before training begins, you will be asked to provide your accounts and funds templates, and you may be asked to validate your accounts and funds in a migration site. You will complete the templates to import your profiles and fund balances during training.

Historical transactions can be imported following migration items listed above. These can be imported at any time, but we encourage completing this during your implementation. Additional information on importing transactions are available in Import Transactions and Historical Records.

Keys to Success in Data Migration

• Use the most recent month end close fund balances to import into CommunitySuite.
• Work proactively to complete all migration and validation tasks on time.
• Ask questions. It is better to uncover confusion and challenges quickly than delay your progress.

Purpose

Through a series of learning resources and calls with your Foundant implementation team, your team will onboard CommunitySuite. Training covers core fields and functions within CommunitySuite including accounts, funds, profiles, money in/out processes, end of period processes, and using CRM to bolster your engagement processes. It is important that all recommended attendees listed in your Implementation Plan complete all homework to prepare for calls and attend or review the recording of the live training. We will cancel training calls if team members have not completed the necessary homework to prepare for the call.

In addition to training, your team will work with Foundant to import your data and configure your CommunitySuite site. Foundant has created a checklist of tasks we recommend you complete to ensure your site is properly set up. This will be added to your Smartsheet workspace (more information is provided in the Tools section of this article).

Keys to Success in Training and Configuration

• Complete all relevant pre-call work prior to calls with Foundant team members.
• Complete all relevant import templates according to the deadlines laid out by your Foundant team.
• Set aside time for internal decision making about configuration and workflow decisions.
• Document and practice workflows and internal processes as you go.
• Begin using CommunitySuite as your system of record after your balances are imported into CommunitySuite.

Purpose

After you have completed the core training of CommunitySuite and set your balances, you will meet with the Foundant team in a series of check-in calls over the following 30 days. We will focus on your top priorities, ongoing questions, and solutioning immediate issues. After check-in calls have concluded, you will graduate to our Success team to focus on longer-term initiatives in the software. More about this team will be shared throughout your implementation.

Keys to Success in Transition to Success

• Demonstrated understanding of core workflows in CommunitySuite.
• Completion of top priorities within 30 days of going live with CommunitySuite.
• Come to check-in calls prepared to ask targeted questions.

Your CommunitySuite Sites

Your CommunitySuite license includes two different sites.

• The Sandbox Site
  • This site is for testing and learning. You will be able to access this site for as long as you have a license with Foundant. After you go live with the software, you can regularly sync your Live site to the Sandbox so you can always test with fresh data.
  • NOTHING from the Sandbox can be promoted to the Live site.
• The Live Site
  • This is the site where your site configurations will be completed.
  • This is your system of record once your Accounts, Funds, and Balances have been loaded. 
  • This site can be synced to the Sandbox site as needed following Go Live.

The Project Center is our Project Management Tool. You will receive an email invitation from projectcenter@foundant.com. Your username is your work email and you will be prompted to set a password the first time you login.

Throughout your implementation you will use several important resources. Below is a list of the most common resources you will use.

• Project Plan
• To Do List
• Question / Issue Log
• Questionnaire

• Does my whole staff need to complete all the pre-call work and be on every training call?
  • In your project plan, we have listed our recommended attendees for each call. It is up to you if you want to have your entire team or just those recommended attendees prioritize the calls with Foundant. Either way, we recommend everyone on your team review all of the resources in the Learning Center.
• How will my data migrate to CommunitySuite?
  • Together with Foundant, you will import your funds, accounts, fund balances, and profiles into CommunitySuite.
• Can I import my historical transactions into CommunitySuite?
  • Yes, several historical transactions can be bulk imported into CommunitySuite. More information about historical transactions can be found in Import Transactions and Historical Records. Completing these imports is a client responsibility.
• How do I reset my password?
  • If your domain is set up properly in the Live site and Sandbox site, you can click “Forgot your password” to reset your password.
  • You can also ask your internal team members with Admin level permissions to reset your password.
  • You can email support@foundant.com. Please include which site you need your password reset.
• When will we learn about integration?
  • You will complete the integration training closer to when you will pay grants or scholarships from GLM/SLM out of CommunitySuite.
• Can I launch my online pages on the same day I take CommunitySuite live?
  • No. There are several site configurations for the external facing pages that cannot be completed until CommunitySuite is live. Many clients are able to launch the Giving Hub within 1-2 business days after CommunitySuite is live. The Portal will take 2-3 weeks to configure, test, and launch after CommunitySuite is live.
• Do I need to launch my online pages during my implementation?
  • No. Launching your external facing pages, like your Giving Hub or Portal, takes time, effort, and planning. Often, clients choose to launch one or none of these portals while in implementation. The Foundant team will work with you on your goals to ensure you understand support options in the future when you launch your public facing pages.
• Should I keep entering data into my legacy system while I am implementing CommunitySuite?
  • Yes, until you have entered balances into CommunitySuite and begin using it as your system of record. It should be business as usual with your day-to-day processes while you are implementing CommunitySuite. You may be advised by our team to adjust some data entry practices to help facilitate your migration, but in most cases, keep things the same.
• Should I dual process between CommunitySuite and my legacy system after I take CommunitySuite live?
  • This is an internal decision. We never advise clients to dual process beyond 30 days, but there may be specific reasons like timing of cutover and/ or an upcoming audit that may influence your decision to dual process. Ask your implementation team to review this more specifically with you as you plan your Go Live. Reminder, the longer you dual process between systems, the harder it will be to adopt CommunitySuite.
• How should I handle my audit after I transition to CommunitySuite?
  • This is an internal decision. We can advise based on your implementation timeline and migration type. Reach out to your implementation team for additional advice.
• What balances should I use for CommunitySuite?
  • We strongly recommend you use the most recent month close balances. You should use balances from within the last quarter. These do not need to be audited balances. If you decide to use balances prior to the most recent quarter, you may be required to import transactions that cause an undue burden on your team. Failure to import transactions to bring your General Ledger up to date may result in a balance reset at an additional cost.
• How do I get my site General Ledger up to date from the starting balances?
  • You will enter and/or import transactions from the date of your starting balances to “today” to build your general ledger in CommunitySuite. We recommend using the most recent month’s balances to keep the number of transactions needing to enter to a minimum. Failure to enter transactions to bring your General Ledger up to date may result in a balance reset at an additional cost.